Where to go in Belarus for the weekend? This question is increasingly being asked by Russians living in regions neighboring this union state. And among Muscovites in recent years, holidays in this country are becoming more and more popular. There are several reasons for this.
Why do you need to go to Belarus?
Choosing where to go to Belarus for the weekend, you need to understand why this country is so attractive.
It has become so popular among Russian tourists due to the lack of a visa regime, its friendliness and excellent opportunities that exist for an exciting, but at the same time measured rest.
There are a large number of ancient cities, some of which are more than a thousand years old. Here in different centuries there were Lithuanians, Poles, Russians. Therefore, today you can meet old castles, go to Belovezhskaya Pushcha, visit one of the best flax producing enterprises on the planet.
Another advantage of Belarus is its proximity to Europe, which makes it an optimal starting point for further travel. In addition, all local residents, without exception, are fluent in Russian, and the prices here, compared with Russia, for certain types of goods are slightly lower.
In this article we will focus on interesting and informative routes that are available for traveling with children and, as a rule, will not take more than one day.
Car route
The first option of where to go in Belarus for the weekend is as follows. We start from Minsk, from there we leave for Kossovo, then we visit Ruzhany, Synkovichi, Slonim, Zhirovichi and return to Minsk. All the way along such a route will take you about 530 kilometers or about six hours of pure time.
If you want to see all the sights in one day, then it is better to leave at 6 in the morning, and if you can arrange a weekend tour in Belarus, then take your time in two days in a hurry and stop for the night in the middle of the way.
From Minsk we leave along the highway in the direction of Brest, after three hours in the Ivatsevichi district we turn towards Kossova and the town of Merechevschina. Two places are worth visiting in these places. These are the ruins of the Pusslowski Palace, built in 1838. This Neo-Gothic building consists of 12 towers, each of which symbolizes one of the months of the year. According to legend, the palace had a glass floor, under which there was an aquarium with fish, and a living lion guarded it.
Nearby you need to call in the museum-estate of Tadeusz Kosciuszko. This house was built around 1720, it was in it in 1745 that the national Polish hero was born, who fought for the independence of his people. It was restored and opened to visitors in 2004.
Next we go to Ruzhany. When traveling to interesting places in Belarus, be sure to visit this city, founded at the beginning of the XVII century. At that time, Magdeburg Law was established in it, and it belonged to Leo Sapieha.
Temples and churches of Belarus
From here we go to the Zelvensky district, the main attraction of which is the defensive church of St. Michael the Archangel, built in the style of Belarusian Gothic.
Another noteworthy religious site on this route is the Holy Assumption Monastery, which is located in Zhirovichi.
It is worth remembering that not only Orthodoxy is spread in Belarus, but also Catholicism. Therefore, after the Zhirovichi, you can see the church of St. Andrew the Apostle in Slonim. It is built in the rococo style. The building was destroyed during the Great Patriotic War, is now being actively restored.
This is an ideal route if you cannot decide where to go in Belarus for the weekend. All along the way, there is a good asphalt surface; in one or two days you can see many architectural monuments of various styles and directions.
On the way to Polotsk
If the previous route to interesting places in Belarus threw us into the Brest region, then another option offers to explore the surroundings of Polotsk and the sights on the way to it.
Having left Minsk, it is proposed to drive through Begoml, Dokshitsy, Glubokoe, Udelo, Mosar, Sharkovshchina, Germanovichi and Polotsk. The total length of the trip is 560 kilometers or about 8 hours by car.
On this way you will find many objects that will prove: in this country there is something to see. In Belarus, there are many monuments and memorials dedicated to the Great Patriotic War, because in those years the entire territory of the present republic was occupied.
In this direction, it is proposed to call on the site of the village of Shunevka in the Dokshitsy district to see the curse on the fascism memorial complex. Here in May 1943, the Nazis burned the whole village together with local residents. In total, during the war, only in the Dokshitsy district killed about 20 thousand people, 97 villages were burned, three of them, together with the entire population.
In the center of this memorial is a bronze figure of a woman almost five meters high. She lifts her hands to heaven in a scream, being in the aperture of the gate of sadness.
From here you can head to the Catholic Church of the Holy Trinity in Glubokoe, in the same place the Orthodox Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In Mosar and Udelo you can call in churches, visit a church in Sharkovschina. In Germanovichi there is a unique museum of ethnography and art named after the Belarusian artist Yazep Drozdovich. It presents exhibits related to traditional rural life, collections of clay dishes, objects of work, as well as materials dedicated to the life path of Drozdovich.
Here is another option where to go for a weekend in Belarus together.
"Ostrovets round-the-world"
This is another exciting travel destination in Belarus. The route includes Minsk, Kushlyany, Soly, Vornyany, Ostrovets, Mikhalishki and Gervyaty. This is a tour of the western part of the country, this tour in Belarus will take about 7 hours (about 400 kilometers).
The first stop is to be made in the Smorgon district. In the village of Kushlyany, it is worth visiting the museum-estate of the Belarusian prose writer Frantisek Bogushevich. He is considered the founder of critical realism in national literature. It is best to book an excursion here in advance.
Most of the other facilities in this area will be religious. This is a post-modern church in Solah, a unique Catholic church in Ostrovets, which more closely resembles a house of culture. In these temples there are many icons that are considered miraculous among believers.
In Mikhalishki there is the church of the Archangel Michael, and in the Vornjany - St. George. The cherry on the cake of this trip will be the Church of the Holy Trinity in Gervyaty. Around it is a well-groomed and large park, and if you guess by a certain time, you can get to an organ concert. In addition, it is one of the three highest Belarusian churches, which is a classic example of neo-Gothic architecture.
On the advice of experienced travelers, for lunch on this route it is better to stay in Ostrovets, where there are many cafes and restaurants for every taste and budget.
Castles in the World and Nesvizh
The weekend tour in Belarus can include castles of the World and Nesvizh. It has a well-developed tourist infrastructure, many fascinating sights, catering establishments.
The road from Minsk back and forth will be only 250 kilometers. In the village of Mir, visit the castle of the 16th century, which at different times was owned by Ilyinichi, Radziwills, Wittgenstein and Svyatopolk-Mirsky. At the corners of this building are 5-story towers, each about 26 meters high. Another tower is located directly above the entrance gate.
This is a Gothic castle, which took part in almost all wars on the territory of modern Belarus, it was repeatedly besieged and stormed. In 1665 and 1706, it was significantly damaged, but each time it was rebuilt and rebuilt.
Nesvizh Castle was built in the 16th century. This is one of the first bastion fortifications in Belarus, related to the New Italian system. For hundreds of years, it was the main place of concentration of the Radziwill force, since at the time of construction it was considered perfect among buildings of this type.
Minsk
Deciding what to see in Belarus, you can stop your choice in the capital of the republic. Here you can spend even more than one weekend excitingly.
A tour of Belarus will include the main attractions of Minsk, which you must see. They are located in the area of Independence Avenue. Experienced travelers are advised to go for a walk from the train station, which in itself is a very modern building, to Bobruisk Square. From there, you will arrive at Independence Square, you will be able to inspect the government building, go into the Red Church. Going towards the square, you will find many original monuments, the Museum of Cinema, where themed screenings are regularly held.
Next on the way are architectural monuments, monumental buildings of different styles, Victory Square, Oktyabrskaya, Yakub Kolas. One of the main attractions of recent years is the building of the National Library.
Bialowieza Forest
When deciding where to go on holiday in Belarus for a weekend, many opt for the Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park. This is a conservation zone, which is located on the territory of one of the largest forests of lowland Europe. Moreover, to this day it has been preserved mainly in an untouched state.
Here is the estate of Santa Claus, sightseeing enclosures in which bison live, considered a symbol of Belarus, as well as wolves, deers, lynxes, bears, foxes and many other animals.
Brest Fortress
The fortress within Brest, which first met the blow of the Nazi troops at the very beginning of the war, is of interest to everyone who is interested in Russian history.
Today, in its place there is a memorial complex of the same name, in which many museums and memorials tell the whole history of the war against the Nazis for sure and true.
Camping
For lovers of outdoor recreation, there is also a place. There is where to go with tents. In Belarus, it is advised to opt for campsites "Cool Place", "Rybchino", "Yellow Beach" in the Vileika region near Minsk.
In the Minsk region there are "Zabrodye" and "Camping No. 1", in the Grodno - "Oaks". Everywhere you will find picturesque nature and affordable prices.
There are tourist camps in the republic. For example, on the Blue Lakes on Lake Balduk or Boltik, as well as on Naroch and Braslav Lakes.
Recreation facilities in Belarus
For those who want to relax with great comfort, there are also many offers. For example, in the Minsk region there is a Beaver Hut base. It is located in an ecologically clean area on the banks of the Nezharovka River, around a dense forest. This is an ideal place for a family or friendly holiday, corporate events.
There are just three reservoirs in which you can fish for carp, silver carp, pike or grass carp. Forests in the surrounding area are rich in mushrooms and berries. Guests are accommodated in wooden cottages. It is possible to live in motorhomes or tents. On the territory there is a shower, toilet and even a bathhouse.
Also, a large number of recreation centers in Belarus is located in the Vitebsk, Brest, Gomel, Grodno and Mogilev regions.